Forever Stained
by Koneko-chan9
Summary: Well, I've been writing my butt off, and I came up with a story (well, three, but this one's done). It's a one shot, from the POV of Kagome's friends, more specifically, through Ayumi's eyes. If that's not her name, it is now. Kag's changed... and leaving
1. Miko's Tears

Hi, minna!!! 

Just to let you know, this is going to be my official collection of really sad one-shot (& usually death) fics. I think I have some unresolved issues buried deep in me, cuz if I write when I'm tired or feverish, it's always sad and someone dies. None of these fics (when I get more up, that is…) are related to each other. If they are, I'll put a note up about it.

Disclaimer: I own them! They're mine! All mine!!! Mwuahahahhahahahaaaa!!!! Wow… the sky just turned neon green… ^.~

And now, Koneko-chan presents…

Forever Stained:

A Miko's Tears 

            It trickled through her hair and traced patterns on her face, giving her an eerie beauty; it soaked through her clothes and ran races down her arms to drip off her fingertips, creating large puddles on the rocky, barren land; it was seeping into his clothes as well. Inu-yasha closed his eyes as he inhaled the scent that was on the air, that was all around him, that would never leave him – that he so hated.

            It was her blood.

            He was covered in it. Of course, some of it was his, for he had suffered many wounds. He had continued to fight, and his wounds had showered all around, leaving the stony ground speckled with his blood; yet now, all of his wounds were gone. The remnants of the great battle still lay around them, including many yokai remains, shattered rocks, and a powerful aura of evil that would probably never leave; the evil that had caused it, though now gone, had been none other than Naraku himself, at the height of his power.

            But it was her blood that mattered; it was her blood that was draining, and taking her life with it. To make it worse… there was nothing he could do. She had already lost so much blood… not all the bandages in the world could help her now. Before, he might have taken her to her time with all speed, and they might have saved her… but now, it was too late. He could never get through the well in time; she would die before he even got there, and the race there might injure her more. The last thing he wanted to do was cause her more pain than she already had.

            And she _was_ in pain. Her clutched her crumpled, broken, bleeding form gently to his chest; he could feel it shaking with each ragged, slow, torturous breath; he could feel all her broken bones, cuts, and bruises, all the large gashes and holes in her frame; he was nearly having to hold her innards within her body. She wouldn't… couldn't last much longer… a few minutes at most… With that thought, the tears finally spilled from his eyes as what was happening struck home with an incredible blow: Kagome was dying. _His_ Kagome was dying.

            As tears leaked out of his eyes and trickled onto her hair and mixed with her blood, he could only sit there, clutching her too him as her life was fading away. She had done this for him. All of her pain, her suffering, her death… all for him. She had saved him at the price of her own life. Not just today, either. She had sacrificed the past two years of her life to constantly be with him, to fulfill a quest of legends. She had actually been away from her home for two months now. She had saved him so many times. Not only physically, either. She had summoned a new strength from deep within him. She had taught him what love really was, even though he had denied it for so long. Now he couldn't any longer, yet he felt that strength that she gave him fading away.

            But now… did it really matter any more? She was dying in his arms. Even now, her breaths were becoming shallower and farther between, each one a raspy convulsion of her shattered body. He stroked her hair as she shuddered, no longer aware of the world around her, only aware of her world of pain. She was enduring this for him. Any moment now, she would let go… just fade into the darkness…and he would… lose her…      

            He stared at her face, at her eyes, squeezed shut with pain, and began to think back about what had just happened…

***********************************Flashback***************************************

            Naraku had led them into one ultimate trap. Shippo and Kirara had been kidnapped, as well as and a group of children who had been out at play. At first, Miroku had devised a plan to retrieve them all safely. It fell through, and Naraku, to show them how serious he was, killed one of the children, right in front of them all. The little girl had screamed, and her mother had fainted. Then, the sword flew, and went straight through the girl's heart. She was no more than six.

            Kagome had let loose an arrow then. She had refrained from doing so before, for fear of hitting the children. Now, she was mad; her arrows would hit. 

            But they didn't. Naraku had been expecting this, and in that one moment when she shot the arrow, he finally used the power of his Shikon shards for himself. His power increased, but he dedicated all the new energy into his speed.

            In the past, every time she shot an arrow, she would always pause to see if it hit. This time, Naraku used that pause to race forward with his new speed, and run directly into her, then back to his hostages. None had expected that, and Kagome was thrown far by his power. Inu-yasha caught her just before she slammed into a wall.

            Only too late did they realize what he had done.

            He had their large Shikon Shard. He then did something they didn't expect – he used the power from his newest shard, mixed with that of the ones he had, to summon the remaining shards.

            About 20 shards came racing through the air at his call, as well as demons who had sensed the power of all the assembled shards. Naraku had planned everything. They were near a mountain roost of demons – hundreds of demons. They felt the shards, and came racing to the power. 

            Even as the demons came racing in, Naraku was absorbing them into a vast new body. With the power of all these demon, and the help of the Shikon no Tama, he was just as great as the demon Midoriko had faced all those years ago. He may have been greater. The Shikon no Tama, now nearly fully corrupted, was morphing him.

            As Inu-yasha, Sango, and Miroku jumped into the greatest battle of their lives, Kagome ran to free the children and her friends. Once she had them freed, she knew she had to protect them. She ran a ways away from the kids, and drew another arrow. She searched for where she could see the Shikon no Tama, so she could judge how well digested its power was at that point. It was not looking good, seeing that Naraku just kept growing. Inu-yasha had numerous wounds, and was continually bashed into the walls. The Tetsuseiga was having little to no effect on the great demon, formed from hundreds of others. Kirara was guarding the children, while Sango and Miroku were fighting off the remaining unabsorbed yokai.

            Naraku saw Kagome taking aim.

            "Do you really think that will work? Your arrows may have worked against my other body, but not this one. I am the ultimate evil, that not even purifying powers can defeat! Not even Kikyo could damage this body, and she was a real miko, well trained since she was young." He noted that Kagome, though a little frightened, still had the arrow on the string. "Fool. Try it!"

            Inu-yasha attacked from behind the preoccupied Naraku at that point, intent on cutting him down. Unfortunately, the hide forged of many hides repelled Tetsuseiga, bouncing Inu-yasha into the air a small ways. It also brought Naraku's attention back to him.

            "Fool."

            Before Inu-yasha could catch himself, Naraku had hit him with most of his strength, sending him crashing into the high rock wall. A huge hole formed, and a large amount of the cliff face fell to the earth below, taking Inu-yasha with it.

            "Inu-yasha!!!" Kagome ran to the area, but he was buried.

            "Heh. Fools! I'm not even trying yet." Naraku sneered.

            An incredible wrath filled Kagome, like she had never felt before. She put an arrow to her bow again, and shot at Naraku with the most powerful arrow she had ever shot. Her power was greater than Kikyo's had ever been, and her only thought was to destroy Naraku.

            The arrow raced towards Naraku, full of purifying energy – but upon contact, the energy faded. Kagome was stunned, to say the least.

            "Ouch… really, Kagome, that stung," Naraku sneered. He had barely felt it.

            Inu-yasha managed to climb out of the rubble, bleeding in many places. Just as he prepared to attack again, Naraku slashed at him with one of his many new claws, and Inu-yasha took a bad blow. Kagome got out of the area when Inu-yasha yelled at her to. Her arrows would still be able to help the others fight the normal demons.

            Kagome was helpful there, but it was a losing battle. Inu-yasha was getting heavily beat up, and there was nothing they could do.

            Suddenly, Naraku, tired of playing, merely stuck one of his new arms through Inu-yasha – and straight through his heart.

            Inu-yasha staggered. This was the end. He had failed; he hadn't avenged Kikyo, he hadn't gotten the Shikon no Tama back… and he couldn't protect Kagome anymore…

            Kagome saw him fall, blood pouring from his body as though he were a life size, murderous fountain. She saw him try to stand, then stagger, and fall to the ground, which was dripping of his blood. She called to him, and ran to his side, but he couldn't make out what she was saying. He could smell that she was crying, but her face was so blurred that he could barely see it.  

Kagome called desperately for Miroku and Sango to help, but they were deeply buried under the yokai. Both were bleeding heavily, and even as she watched Sango fell to the ground, either unconscious or dead. A few seconds later, Miroku joined her. Naraku had shot poisoned barbs at them, and they were falling under the vile substance as it ate through their blood and veins until it found their hearts. Shippo and the children were nowhere to be seen; hopefully Shippo had gotten them out of there. Even as she thought that, Shippo came into view. He was immediately hit with another poison barb. He cried out in pain, but managed to crawl over to Kagome before collapsing, nearly lifeless, in her lap.

            Everyone was dying.

            "Heh heh heh… What now, little miko? I'll kill you slowly for all the trouble you've caused me…" The giant demon reached down to pick her up while Inu-yasha watched, helpless, from below, barely able to make out what was happening as his vision blurred. 

Even as she was raised into the air, Kagome could only think of the lives that had been lost, that were dying down below. It was all her fault. She had brought the Shikon no Tama back to this time, and she had broken it, she had let it fall into the wrong hands. Now her friends had to pay.

            Suddenly, Kagome felt a new power erupting from deep within her, from a place she didn't know had existed until now. The anguish of her soul was giving her strength, and her entire body was starting to shimmer with it. Inu-yasha, even though he was dying, watched in amazement and shock. He could feel her power from where he was, dying on the ground, and it was unbelievable. He had never felt such power coming from a horde of demons, much less one mortal! It even began to grow!

            Naraku felt his hand burning, even melting, and released her quickly. If nothing else, the fall would kill her.

            But she didn't fall.  She stood there arms out, suspended in the air with a mystical red glow around her. Tears were pouring from her eyes, yet the droplets didn't fall to the earth; they, too, remained, hanging like little diamonds. Naraku, starting to fear this new power,  tried to hit her down, but was burned by an incredible shield. 

            And still the tears gathered in the air. From a small scrape on her forehead, a single drop of blood leaked. It joined the floating tears, now in a circle around her. The droplet of blood stood out like a ruby, glistening at the front of the circle.

            Kagome stretched out her arms, palms facing Naraku, fingers widespread. Her face bore a serene look now, and she looked rather peaceful.

            "This is my sacrifice." She whispered, but the sound was carried by her power so that it echoed for miles. "All of this was my fault. By my tears and blood, you shall die, and all others shall be saved. This is a Miko's sacrifice – blood and tears!"

            Suddenly the tears shot forward, latching onto Naraku and paralyzing him. Naraku cried out in pain, eyes wide with fear, as they sank deep into his skin, eating away his flesh.

            The single drop of blood had risen higher into the air. Something rose from Sango, Miroku, and Shippo's still forms, and from Inu-yasha's ragged shaking body. The substance was misty, and deep bluish-purple in color, highly resembling a painted cloud. A huge mass of it was forming, swirling restlessly above the drop of blood.

            "Do you know what this is Naraku? It's all the pain that you've caused all of them. Now feel the might of my pain. These were my friends! They were innocent. Everyone was innocent. Everyone but you. Now they all are dying…" suddenly her face changed from the calm, serene look, and was suddenly dominated by a look of fury and pain. "You will not get away with this. By my ultimate sacrifice, you shall pay!"

            All through her speech, the drop of blood had been moving until it was directly over Naraku. Now, it fell, seeping quickly into his skin. Suddenly, a huge mass of the bluish pain burst from Kagome, equal in size to the combined pain of the others. As it passed the other mass, the two merged, and both followed her blood deep into Naraku. It entered through his skull, and every place it went began to shimmer – coursing through his veins first, then eating away at his flesh. Finally, in a great, brilliant light, he vanished.

 He was gone.

            Inu-yasha was on the verge of blacking out. He couldn't let go! Not now! Kagome had won! He had to go to her… 

            But it was too late. The darkness took him.

            The next thing he knew, the same light that had just taken Naraku was around him. At first he thought he was dead, seeing as his wounds were healed. Then the light left, and he looked around. Sango and Miroku, both fine now, were doing the same thing. The light was on the other side of the field now, but when it moved away, Shippo could be seen, looking mystified. Was this the next world?

            Inu-yasha looked at Kagome… and gasped, knowing that this was his world, and no other.

            "KAGOME!!!"

            Kagome was covered in wounds, far worse than he had been. Far worse than any of them had been! All over her was bleeding and bruised, except her beautiful face. Her eyes were squeezed shut in pain, and tears were running from her eyes again, but this time from sheer pain. Inu-yasha scooped up her frail, broken body and held her close.

***********************************End Flashback***************************************

            Sango and the others had long since figured out what had happened to Kagome. Sango had fallen to her knees sobbing, clutching Shippo in her arms like a teddy bear. A crying teddy bear. Miroku had dropped to his knees and was embracing them. He held Sango's head to his chest, slowly rocking her back and forth as her body convulsed with sobs. He rested his chin on top of her head so they wouldn't see the tears falling from his shocked, blank eyes. They needed him to be strong right now. He helped her up, and they walked away, Sango leaning heavily against Miroku, to give Inu-yasha his last moments with Kagome.

            Inu-yasha didn't even notice them leave as more of his tears fell onto Kagome's wind-blown hair.

            "Why, Kagome? I…you… you didn't…but…why?" He didn't know what to say. She had saved them all, but her sacrifice had been much more than tears and a drop of blood. For every life she had saved, she had taken on the wounds that had deprived them of that life.

            Suddenly, her eyes opened. Just a little bit, but he could see the misty grey of her eyes, shimmering with tears of pain and agony.

            "Because… this was all… my fault…" Her speech was broken by her labored, gasping breaths. Even as she spoke, blood was dribbling from her mouth.

            "Shhh, don't speak; please don't hurt yourself anymore. It wasn't your fault! None of this was. You saved us all!"

            "I owed it… to you..."

            "You owed us nothing! You've already done so much for me! You gave me my soul back… you taught me to trust… you taught me to love again!"

            Kagome's body shook with pain as the poison made its presence known.

            "The… Shikon no Ta-tama… should be there… you can… make you and Kikyo… human… and live… like you wanted to… she'll get her soul back… now…" Her eyes squeezed shut again as a wave of pain washed over her body.

            Inu-yasha didn't have the heart to tell her that the jewel wasn't there anyways. Most likely it had been purified entirely with Naraku, but he really didn't care anymore.

            "No, Kagome! I don't want Kikyo! I want you! You!" She was hardly responding, still shuddering in pain. "Please don't leave me…"

            "I'm sorry…Inu-yasha…"

            "No, please… don't leave me… I need you!"

            Kagome couldn't respond; she could barely breathe.

            "Then at least let me have this…"

            Kagome's eyes opened just a little to see what he meant, and she was met with his tear-streaked face as his lips met hers. She gasped slightly, then melted into it. Inu-yasha could taste the blood on her lips, but he did his best to ignore it. This was his first real kiss, and it was Kagome's too; he could tell.

            The kiss was abruptly broken off as her body tensed as she inhaled sharply, and her eyes shot open with a look of shock and pain.

            Then her body relaxed and hung limp in his arms. Her eyes were still open, but they weren't seeing anymore. 

            "Please, Kagome… don't do this… I love you. Oh, Kami-sama, I love you so much!"

            "I…" Her sentence was cut off by a huge convulsion of her body. "I love you too…"

            "…goodbye…"

            And with that last whisper, she was gone. 

            Inu-yasha stared at her for a moment in disbelief, tears still streaming from his eyes. She couldn't be gone. This couldn't be happening. There was no way tis could be happening. 

But she wasn't breathing. And he couldn't hear her heartbeat. He shook his head, not ready to believe this.

"No… no, you can't do this… Open your eyes! Dammit, wench, open your eyes!" But it was all in vain, and he broke into sobs. "Dammit… Wake up! Please, please wake up…you can't be gone… please…"

Inu-yasha gently cradled her lifeless body to him, holding her carefully, as though worried he would hurt her if he held her to tight. He rocked back and forth, consumed in his grief 

            "No!! You can't do this to me! Don't leave me, please, don't go! I need you so much Kagome… you're everything I have… Please don't go…" he continued wailing over her body, wishing that this was just a bad dream, that everything was fine.

            One hour later, he loosened his grip on her. She sat there in his lap, completely limp, eyes still staring blankly ahead and starting to glaze over.

            Inu-yasha carefully closed her eyelids over her sea-gray eyes. Despite all the blood and gashes, she looked peaceful. Her face was still beautiful, even now, for it bore only the one scrape across her forehead, the trickles of blood having been rubbed off by Inu-yasha's careful fingers. 

Inu-yasha was no longer weeping, but the tears wouldn't stop falling from his eyes. He wasn't sure they ever would. He couldn't have cared less. He just felt so empty now…

            Inu-yasha stood up, still holding Kagome close to him, and walked out of the clearing.

            Sango, Miroku, and Shippo hadn't gotten far, Sango having collapsed just outside the clearing. They saw him leaving, holding Kagome's body and walking like he was in a trance.

            Shippo looked up with a tear-streaked face and watched Inu-yasha pass, then looked up at Miroku from Sango's lap.

            "Where's he taking her?"

            "Home… to her family…"

Inu-yasha didn't even remember going through the well. He was just suddenly at Kagome's front door. He didn't bother to knock and just walked right in.

            He heard Mrs. Higurashi in the kitchen.

            "Kagome, is that you?" He heard her leave the kitchen and come towards him. "Oh, it's been so long since you came home! We were… worried about… you…"

            Mrs. Higurashi stared in shock at her shattered daughter and the bloody hanyou holding her. Then she started screaming.

            "What… What happened? Oh, kami-sama! Kagome, open your eyes! Please! Oh my gosh, is she… is she…?" Mrs. Higurashi looked up at Inu-yasha for answers, tears spilling from her eyes.

            "She saved us all… completed her mission… She took all our wounds to give us our lives… the Miko's ultimate sacrifice…"

            Kagome's grandfather had just come hurrying into the room when he heard the screams. He was horrified to find his granddaughter, bleeding and long dead.

            "You monster! You lie! What did you do to her?!?"

            "No lie… the sacrifice…" Inu-yasha wasn't making much sense anymore. He was in complete shock, though his eyes were still pouring tears.

            "Only one miko in the entire history of the world has ever used that magic, and that was hundreds of years ago! Kagome couldn't have…couldn't have…" Then realization hit home. "It was her… She was the one…" He sat down in the closest chair and shook his head in complete disbelief and began to weep.

            Mrs. Higurashi was weeping over her daughter. Sota had just come into the room. He screamed when he saw Kagome's mangled body. Even now, the blood was still leaking from it, creating puddles on the floor. He ran from the room, unable to comprehend what he had just seen. How could Inu-yasha not have protected her? How could she be… be…

Kagome's mother ran after him, not able to stay there any longer. Kagome's grandfather merely sat there, still in shock.

            Inu-yasha carried his precious burden upstairs and into her room, where he laid her on the bed. He could hear her family sobbing downstairs. He burst out in fresh sobs, and the tears once again and fell down his cheek with renewed force as he fell to his knees next to her bed.

            "I'm sorry Kagome… "

            He looked out her window with a tear-stained face and realized something: it was a new moon. No wonder his power hadn't felt as strong earlier. But he could still smell her blood… and the poison in it that had tainted everyone's wounds. This wasn't surprising, though, because she was bleeding in so many places, and it was seeping into the bedspread. Blood was still trickling from her mouth and down her chin. He leaned over and gently wiped it away with his sleeve, leaving her face clean. He felt a burning where the blood touched his skin, and knew that it was Naraku's lethal poison.

            Inu-yasha got up and sat on the bed and looked down at her body, so small and frail, lying limply on the blood stained blankets. 

He knew what he had to do.

            "I hope you waited for me, Kagome…" he whispered, soft as the wind. And with that, he took her lips again, drinking the poison-filled blood from her mouth. He flinched a little when he first tasted her blood, hating the taste immediately. The kiss grew worse as he truly felt her lips, which were stiff and cold. Slowly, he pulled away.

            He shuddered as he felt the poison already taking effect on his almost-human body, and wondered how she'd held out against so much of it for so long. Then again, he really wanted to die.  He could feel his strength draining… his breath getting shorter… the pain that was coursing through his veins.

            He climbed back onto the bed next to Kagome. He pulled her to his chest and tucked her head under his chin. They would sleep the eternal sleep forever, like the lovers that they should have been. With that, he let out his final breath.

            And that was how they were found, hours later. Inu-yasha had his arms around her waist, pulling her into a tight embrace, and his face was buried in her hair. His silver hair fell all around both of their bodies, hiding many of the gashes on Kagome and adding peace to the scene. If it hadn't been for the blood, it could have been said that they were sleeping.

They were buried side by side, out in front of the Goshinboku at a private ceremony. A shrine was always kept there, dedicated to the hanyou who had defeated all but love, the girl who gave him even that, and their love that could not be.

            Well, there you have it. This was originally going to be just practice at using lots of description and consist of only the opening paragraph, and that was supposed to be about rain. But, I was tired, and I got this idea, so…. So, please tell me what you think!!!

            Sadly enough, I already have an idea for the next one, but only if you guys think I should write more of these… let me know! Or if you have any plotlines you feel like giving me… you'll still get credit for the plotline, I'm not a thief. I just get stuck after a while. Should I bother to write more, tho?eko-chan~~


	2. Whisperings of the Wind

            Well, minna, here's another sad story. Sorry I haven't updated anything lately, I'm having a surprisingly busy summer. 

            This is not another IY/Kag story, and it may not be as powerful as (I hope) the last one was. That's ok. It's still sad. However, I do hope that you are not rushing right into this after the first story, cuz that ruins the magic of the first story. If you truly want to enjoy these sad stories, you should wait a day or so between stories. It just makes them better.

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN THEM. GOT IT??????

Forever Stained Whisperings of the Winds 

            "Houshi-sama? Houshi-sama, please wake up!"

            "Oi! Miroku! Wake up!"

            "Miroku-sama, please wake up! It's just a nightmare, nothing's wrong!"

            The voices of his friends drifted down upon the sleeping monk, who was tossing and turning in his sleep and alternating between calling out in pain and warning people they could not see to get away. All the while, he was clutching his right arm. 

            Suddenly, Miroku jolted awake, still clutching his arm as though his life depended on it. He sat bolt upright so he was no longer leaning on the wall he had been sleeping against. He was panting, and Inu-yasha could hear his heartbeat racing.

            "Houshi-sama, are you alright?" asked a very concerned Sango. 

            Miroku, still breathing hard, turned to her with an obviously faked smile.

            "I'm always alright when there are pretty women hanging over me as I sleep."

            Sango would have smacked him, but she was still too worried for his safety. She knew he had been having nightmares for a while now, because he always mumbled in his sleep, occasionally calling out. No one else really knew. Sango was always up the latest, with the exception of Inu-yasha. Her memories kept her awake at night – and her guilt. She would lay awake for hours, so she often knew what her companions were dreaming of.

            And she knew what Miroku had been dreaming of every night for the past month. It was the same thing every night. He would dream that the hole in his hand was consuming him, that he had failed to rid himself of the curse.

            But tonight had been worse than ever before. He had been yelling, and had woken everyone up, including the people who owned the small hut. His terror had been much more real, and he had seemed almost unable to wake himself.

            Miroku leaned back against the wall again, sighing loudly, as the owner's of the house (content that no one was being killed) returned to their room and bed. They were an elderly couple, and very nice to be around. 

No one asked what the dream had been about, for they knew it easily. An awkward silence fell over the group. After a minute or two of just sitting and staring at the breathless Miroku, everyone decided that he didn't want to talk about it and started heading for bed again. However, as Inu-yasha was heading back to his corner, he suddenly looked back to confirm with his eyes what his nose had told him. Then he quickly turned back to his destination.

            Miroku – strong, noble, friendly Miroku – was crying. 

            Well, not actually crying, but the scent of tears was on the air, and it was obviously coming from Miroku. The young monk had his eyes tightly shut, and though the humans in the room would never see it, and the kit had slept (and snored) through the whole ordeal, he was holding back tears. 

            After a few minutes, Miroku stood up abruptly. Sango, Inu-yasha, and Kagome all turned to see what he was doing, since they had been unable to return to sleep as of yet. Miroku gave them a reassuring look.

            "Don't worry, just going on a little midnight stroll to clear my head. I will be brief. Sleep well, everyone."

            The girls looked worried, but nodded their heads and returned to their attempts to sleep as Miroku turned and headed out the door. Inu-yasha, however, could still hear Miroku speaking, though barely. Miroku was speaking to him alone, making sure that only Inu-yasha would hear his instructions.

            _"Let no one follow."_

Inu-yasha looked at the monk's back fading into darkness for a minute, his brows coming together in question. Then he nodded and watched the young monk slip into the darkness, before closing his eyes again.

            Sango couldn't sleep again. It wasn't that this surprised her, since she couldn't usually go straight to sleep, but she felt restless tonight. Usually she was tired but couldn't sleep. Tonight, she didn't want to sleep, even though it was well passed midnight.

            Finally, she decided to go join Miroku on his midnight stroll. He wasn't always a hentai, so maybe she would be lucky tonight. When he wasn't being perverted, he was really nice to talk to, not to mention a very sweet guy. Sango blushed at the thought. So what if she liked him? She was allowed that much, wasn't she? It's not like anything was ever gonna happen between them anyways.

            But as Sango moved towards the door, she was surprised to hear the hanyou, who she had assumed was sleeping, whisper to her. 

            "Don't follow him."

            Sango was taken aback.

            "What makes you think I was going to follow him?" she whispered back, not wanting to wake the others.

            "Because I know you don't like to go on walks by yourself, and I know that you enjoy being around him."

            Sango was very glad for the darkness as a blush spread over her face.

            "So what if I was going to follow him. I'm allowed to do that, aren't I?" she whispered angrily.

            Inu-yasha looked up at her.

            "Not tonight, you're not. He wants no one to follow him."

            A slight panic spread over her. Why didn't Miroku want anyone to follow him? Why hadn't he told them that? He'd only told Inu-yasha… That made her panic even more. Inu-yasha could smell her panic and saw her glancing out the door anxiously.

            "But what if something's wrong?" she asked.

            Inu-yasha opened his mouth to speak, but Sango cut him off.

            "Something is wrong, isn't it? That's why he didn't tell us? What aren't you telling me?" she asked frantically, knowing that Inu-yasha wasn't telling her everything.

            Inu-yasha once again opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it and looked down. He didn't know what to say to that.

            Sango made a run for the door, eager to find Miroku, but Inu-yasha blocked it before she could get there.

            "You're not gonna follow him. He doesn't want you to. He wants to be alone." Inu-yasha said in a firm whisper.

            "Well, that's too bad, I'm following him." Sango whispered just as firmly, but she knew that she didn't have the strength to take down Inu-yasha currently. Her mind was turning over and over, trying to figure out how to get by the hanyou. 

            Thankfully, her salvation came in the form of a dreaming Kagome, who had managed to fall back to sleep, and was currently in one of her rather common dreams.

            "No… Inu-yasha, please… wanna go home… jerk… no… no…" Inu-yasha, who also knew this dream well, stared at Kagome with eyes wide with dread. 

            "Inu-yasha, you jerk…. OSWARI!!!!!" Kagome suddenly yelled sitting up straight and awakening from her dream at the sound of Inu-yasha hitting the ground. Sango made her move.

            "Kagome-chan, don't let him follow me! It's is important!" Sango didn't even wait to see Kagome, still sleepy and out of it, nod in agreement as Inu-yasha struggled to stop Sango.

            "Don't even try Inu-yasha…" was the last groggy statement that Sango heard as she ran from the hut they had been staying in. She continued racing into the darkness, down the trail that they had entered the village on. There were no other paths, and this was the only way she thought that the houshi would have taken.

            A few minutes and quite a ways down the path later, she heard him at last. Of course, it wasn't what she had hoped to hear.

            "Geh… uhhhn…" and other such moans of pain met her ears, just a little ways off the path.

            She quickly followed the sounds of his voice, hitting tree branches out of her way, her clothing and skin catching on the bushes, her breath coming to her in ragged gasps as she continued to run. Some of her hair snagged on a tree branch, ripping free of her head as she continued to tear through the underbrush, hardly noticing any of this pain.

            Sango's eyes suddenly went wide. She'd found him.

            A swell of black energy was emitting from the hole in his hand, which was quickly sucking in everything in front of him. The hole itself had taken over his entire palm, and was obviously causing him incredible pain. Sango wanted nothing more than to go and help him, comfort him. Yet as she moved to do so, he finally took note of her presence.

            "Sango-sama! Get away from here! It's dangerous!" he yelled over the winds, fear etched on his features.

            'Why didn't Inu-yasha stop her?!?' 

            Sango stopped, but continued to stare in horror as the dark energy moved to consume him. His face contorted with pain as the dark force continued to grow. He knew that as soon as it fully encircled him, it would pull him into his own palm. Just like his father. And at this rate, Sango's life would also be taken.

            "Get out of here Sango! I don't want you to lose your life!"

            "I don't want you to lose yours!" she yelled back at him as she started moving forward.

            "There's nothing you can do!" yelled Miroku, panicking as she came closer. "Please, get away!"

            Yet as she got closer, he could see the tears on her face. It hurt him more than his hand did to see her crying. Crying over him.

            "Please, Sango, don't cry. Get away from here! Flee while you still can!"

            "No!" she screamed, more in defiance of the situation than to what he had said, as she fell to her knees. Then her voice lowered to just above a whisper; he could barely hear it over the roaring of the wind tunnel. "I won't leave you, Miroku. Not now."

            Miroku didn't fail to notice that she had used his name, and only his name. But then his face contorted yet again. The force had formed an umbrella-like field over his head and was starting to encircle him.

            Sango was only a few feet away now.

            "Sango, please go. I really care about you, and I don't want you to see this! Please… it's my final request…"

            Sango looked up, eyes spilling tears as though it were raining. The wind blew her loose hair gently, and she shook her head lightly, refusing to believe that he was leaving. There was no way this could be happening. She met his eyes, continuing to shake her head.

            "Please Sango…" he gasped in pain before continuing. "Please… because I love you… don't stay here and die… avenge everyone, and live your life… just like you wanted…"

            Sango's eyes shed even more tears, more than he thought was possible, as she shook her head faster, eyes looking distinctly panicked now.

            She suddenly bolted to her feet and ran directly at him, but from the side so she wouldn't get sucked in. She dodged quickly under the dark substance that had her beloved houshi nearly covered before leaping behind him and grabbing his waist.

            "I'm coming with you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Inu-yasha bolted out of the small hut, Kagome and Shippo on his back. He had finally managed to explain what was happening to Kagome, and she instantly regretted sitting him so many times. She was crying, as was Shippo, and Inu-yasha couldn't stand it.

            "Stop blubbering! I've got their scent, we'll be there in no time!"

            Kagome and Shippo started for Sango and Miroku, desperately hoping for their safety.

            Mere moments later, they beheld their friends, just as the dark force finished covering them, forming a dark orb, which instantly turned to wind. The wind started howling loudly, and a crater was forming underneath them. Nearby rocks and trees were being sucked in, and Inu-yasha was holding onto Kagome and Shippo very tightly, making sure to dodge all the rubble. 

They were too late.

            They could see the silhouette of Sango, clinging to Miroku from behind, as he battled with the hole in his hand. Then they heard voices from inside, echoing on the wind.

            "You didn't have to, Sango… What about your life, and your vengeance?" came Miroku's voice, rippling strangely in the presence of the winds, which carried the sound deep into the forest.

            "Inu-yasha and Kagome will avenge us both, and my village. I know they will." Came Sango's voice, also echoing deep into the forrest.

            The winds picked up even more, and Inu-yasha had to put the Tetsuseiga into the ground to keep from being sucked in.

            Suddenly, it was all gone. Objects that had been flying through the air merely dropped to the ground, littering the crater with rocks and logs. And at the edge of the crater stood Inu-yasha, still carrying Kagome and Shippo. All were in complete shock of what had just happened. 

Sango and Miroku, they're friends and companions, were gone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Sango felt herself and Miroku finally falling into the darkness. They were about to see what was on the other side.

            There was a feeling of complete emptiness and nonexistence, followed promptly by a feeling of being weightless. They were falling, and their hair and clothes were billowing, but they felt nothing. They felt like they were floating, even though they could see themselves steadily, yet slowly, falling. The whole place was dark, but every object stood out against the darkness, shining with a light of its own. Sango was still clinging to Miroku as they rushed to the bottom of the deep, dark emptiness. Some blood droplets from one of her small wounds slipped out from under her skin, and she watched as her body left them behind. They fell even slower than she did, and seemed to be suspended in space. She continued to stare, mesmerized. 

            Miroku broke into her thoughts as he squirmed from her grasp, and for a minute she was afraid that he was trying to leave her. But then he merely turned so he was facing her and holding her waist, so she was as close to him as possible. In the back of her mind, she was amazed that he respected her personal space, and his hands didn't wander.

            "I'd love to fall forever with a beautiful lady like yourself, but I'm afraid that this hole must have and end. I'm sorry you had to come with me," he said with a rueful smile.

            "I'd follow you any day, Miroku," she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him close before loosening her grip. She did not, however, remover her arms.

            A light appeared far below them, shimmering with colors that didn't exist on earth, and they rather admired the beauty of it. Then Miroku gave it with a disapproving look.

            "I suppose that's the end, ne?" he asked sadly. "Probably the root of all winds… I've wondered for a while if that's where everything went."

            "I guess it is…" Sango replied, also staring at it. Then she brought her eyes back up to his. "I love you, Miroku."

            "I've waited so long to hear that," he said, smiling happily, yet not in a perverted way. His face was instead shining with love.

            "I'm sorry I never told you before. I would have had your child, I really would have!" she said apologetically, looking down at his chest.

            "It doesn't matter, Sango-chan," he said, lifting her chin so that she was looking at him again. She smiled at the name.

            He leaned down slowly and kissed her gently, sweetly. Sango leaned into the kiss, enjoying it as the light to end all neared. Her first kiss, her last kiss, her best kiss, all in one, all with the man she loved. Tears of mixed joy and sorrow fell from her closed eyes, drifting upwards as she fell in this strange place but she didn't break the kiss.

            She never did, for that matter. In a flash of light, it was all gone, and the joy of that first kiss was the last thing that she ever felt.

No proof of their existence was left, no trace of their love could be found, except in the winds that had taken their lives. The winds will forever howl of their hatred of Naraku, who commanded them in the deed; they will forever moan of their guilt as they roam across lonely lands; and they will forever whisper the tale of that first, innocent kiss, as they gently tell the story for all who will listen to the whispers on the wind.

***********~~~~@~~~~~***********~~~~~@~~~~***********~~~~~@~~~~***********~~~~@~~~~~***********

Well, whadja think? I kinda liked that one… Bet you won't think of the wind the same way anymore, ne? Please tell me how I did with this one, ok? I love getting reviews! They inspire me to write more of all o\my stories!!!

To make things really easy, my e-mail address is Koneko_queen@yahoo.com , so now you have no excuse not to write me… please? 

Also, I am excepting ideas for more sad plotlines now! I WILL give you credit, whether I use ur idea or not. U will be mentioned!! Just, no stupid ideas, please, that are just there so u'll get mentioned. That pisses me off, and I'll just rag on u instead. Ok? Ready… set… REVIEW!!!!!! ^.~

~~koneko-chan~~  


	3. Smile of a Shadow

***Author's Note: This story is a fanfiction (a story that I wrote using the characters of another author – in this case, characters from Rumiko Takahashi's manga, Inu-yasha). It is written for a specific audience of those familiar with the plot and characters. The story takes place in Japan, and the main character, Kagome Higurashi, goes back in time to feudal Japan where demons exist, and fights against an evil demon as they vie for a jewel of great power. (It's not as corny as it sounds, I promise). I wrote this story from the point of view of one of Kagome's friends in the modern era. Kagome's time traveling and adventures are a secret from them. The only appearances of her three friends are scarce, and include them setting Kagome up with a boy to try and get her away from her 'mysterious boyfriend'.  
Also, Takahashi portrays Kagome's friends as shallow, air-headed teen girls who aren't very aware of the world around them due to their focus on boys and friends. I took these characters, particularly Ayumi, and have elaborated on their characters. This is the story of the effects of Kagome's double-life, from the perspective of her closest friends.  
  
Smile of a Shadow  
  
"Oh my gosh, Eri! You look so cute in this picture! I'd forgotten that shirt! Do you still have it?"  
  
"No, it ripped... better make copies of that one, though! It's a great picture of all of us! I think we all need a copy! Great find, Yuka."  
  
I watch as Eri emerges from the stacks of photos and runs over to the scanner, scans the picture into the computer, then prints us each a photo- sized copy. The ritual continues with each photo. Eri and Yuka banter on and on, and occasionally Kagome and I add something. But for the most part, Kagome sits quietly and looks at the pictures with a little smile, and I sit and observe Kagome. Something's just not right, and I think the smile is fake. She hasn't smiled her normal smile in so long, and she always seems so tired. But there's something wrong with the way she smiles at us... It's on her face, but not in her eyes.  
  
"Mm... Oh! Look, Ayumi, here's one of you and Kagome – I remember taking that one on the field trip to the beach! Remember, Kagome, how your lunch got stolen by a seagull? You pouted for the rest of the day!"  
  
Laughter ensues from the four of us at the memory. Well, if you could call the noise Kagome made a laugh. It was more like a down-hearted giggle. At best.  
  
The source of our mirth is a picture is of Kagome and I in fifth grade at the ocean. It's a very cute picture of us, but especially Kagome. She's in her bathing suit with shorts over it, her raven hair tied back in a lively ponytail and giant, carefree grin on her face, confirming that she's having an excellent time. It's a smile like the ones Yuka and Eri are wearing right now as we work on our 'scrap-albums'. 'Scrap-albums' are scrapbooks with pages of just pictures between the artistically done pages, and we each have one. Or we will, after today.  
  
Kagome's expression has changed, and she seems suddenly tired. She opens her mouth to speak, but her voice is almost sad, and her words puzzle me.  
  
"Oh, I remember that day. I'd forgotten that.... That was such a fun, happy day, wasn't it?"  
  
Normally she would ask a question like that to ask us if we thought it was fun and make us remember good times. However, Kagome's tone seemed to ask to be reminded, like she couldn't remember that happiness. Her face changed, too, and lost that little smile. She keeps staring at the picture, and her rather blank and strained face turned into a small and pained smile – a shadowy expression I have seen so often on her lately. It's so different from the happy smile in the picture, but I can't place it. Not yet, anyways.  
  
"Is something wrong Ayumi?" I've been caught watching her. Kagome looks at me expectantly, her pleasant, happy, half-smiling mask in place again, and the strained, tired face has faded so it's almost gone. Almost. Actually, anyone would think her happy except for the look in her eyes... she can't erase her eyes, can she?  
  
So, I stammer a reply. "Ah, no. Just spacing." She doesn't seem to buy it, so I'm forced to cover it. "Can you have Eri scan that one? It's one of my favorites!"  
  
Kagome flashes that funny little smile again, then hands the picture to Eri. I smile back and grab a stack of the photos Kagome brought to share with us. She has some that I haven't seen; mostly pictures of the three of us. There's a bunch of when we were little – old birthday parties, field trips and such.  
  
Suddenly film is better and hasn't faded so much; these must be recent. The roll starts with a couple of us at school – an excellent one of Eri drooling in her sleep at one of our slumber parties – and then suddenly the scene changes from the school and city background. It's in a forest, and is of people I don't know. They're dressed in an old style – very old. A Buddhist priest is easily recognizable by his robes and staff, but the others are harder to place. A girl in tight armor, a tiny boy in heavy Halloween costume, and an older boy with silver hair and....dog ears?...dressed in an entirely oversized red outfit.  
  
I look up questioningly at Kagome, expecting an answer, but find her looking out the window with that tense expression that claims her face when she's not paying attention. It's been happening a lot lately; it vanishes when we get her attention back, and morphs into that half smile, hiding darkness behind it. When did this start? Why didn't we notice before?  
  
I sigh. I guess I'll have to interrogate her instead.  
  
"Kagome-chan?"  
  
"What? Sorry, I was zoning. I..." But she cuts off abruptly when she sees the pictures I'm holding.  
  
"Where did you find those?"  
  
Now the other two are looking too, and the room is eerily silent. Dead silent. Then...  
  
"Wow, was this some kind of party, Kagome?"  
  
"Oh my gosh, what hot guys! But the guy in red needs a new outfit.... But is his hair really dyed that way? So cool!"  
  
"Who are these people, Kagome? Why haven't you introduced me?"  
  
I almost fall out of my chair. How can those two be so thick?  
  
Kagome seems rather flustered by their sudden outbursts. However, I don't miss that quick, calculating look that flashes in her eyes.  
  
"Yes, it was a costume party. A Feudal Era theme. They are, um, friends of mine that you don't know. I, um..."  
  
But they aren't listening. I am, because there's something wrong here. Kagome's hiding something – something important. She's speaking too fast, without any laughter or excess information. She always was a terrible liar.  
  
My mind jumps to the one, simple conclusion - one of them must be her mysterious boyfriend. Her two timing jerk of a boyfriend. Her boyfriend who needs anger management. The one that she gets so angry with, cries for, and won't introduce us to. The one she thinks she's in love with despite it all. That bastard.  
  
"He's one of these guys, isn't he?"  
  
Even as Kagome mutters some question about who I'm talking about, she knows I know. I saw her jump nearly out of her skin when I asked. I saw her eyes fill with fear as she looked at me.  
  
"Oh, really? He's one of these guys? No wonder you stick with him!" bursts in Eri, who is oblivious to the exchange between Kagome and I. Kagome and I meet each other's eyes in challenge and fear, while Eri and Yuka continue to flip through the pictures.  
  
Right on cue, Yuka adds, "I bet it's this guy! Look at this next picture – he's got his hand on that other girl's butt! Is that his old girlfriend?"  
  
Kagome looks over to see Yuka pointing at a picture of the monk with his hand on the armored girl's rear.  
  
"No, actually, that's..... That's Miroku. He's nice, but a pervert." I watch her face carefully. I don't miss the slight twitches as she chases some unknown emotion off her face to keep that tiny smile in place. I don't miss that it's hard for her, or that she won't meet my eyes. She picks up another picture, one where all four of those friends – the ones we, her best friends, have never met – are standing together. They're all smiling, except the guy in red, the one who must be her boyfriend, who is looking away in a huff.  
  
Kagome wears that sad smile again, and you can almost feel her sorrow. Her eyes seem to water a little, but she shakes her head and looks up again. How can she be so sad when the picture is so happy? Pictures like that are supposed to bring back good memories and make people smile and laugh. That's why you take pictures.  
  
That half smile has Kagome's face masked again now. I don't know which hurts more – the sad smile that breaks my heart, or the half-smile mask that hides her from us.  
  
Meanwhile, Yuka and Eri are putting two and two together.  
  
"So that means... the grouch in the red is him?"  
  
"What a hottie.... Where did you find him? Are there any more?"  
  
"I dunno, remember, he's a two timer. I'll stick with our mediocre guys."  
  
"Well, how about the other one? That lecherous looking one? Except I wouldn't want a lech, of course!"  
  
"Eri, you're so shallow!"  
  
Eri, however, would not be so easily swayed. She turns to Kagome with an eager look.  
  
"Hey Kagome, is this guy single? Do you think you could introduce me?"  
  
I give Eri a look to tell her she's being rude, but then watch Kagome, because something very strange is happening. Kagome would usually giggle and say yes or no at a comment like that. Or get angry if she liked the guy. But she doesn't. She sits there, and her mouth opens and closes helplessly, and her eyes shimmer with water. I wish for all the world that she would get angry even, and just be Kagome again. I wish that she would be mad at Eri for being shallow, for being nosy, at me for staring at her, for anything! Where did all her fire go?  
  
Kagome attempts to explain herself.  
  
"I... no, he..... He was.... He's dying. Even as we speak. That's why I can't stay past today. I have to go back and be there for him. For Sango. He did it for Sango.... And there's nothing we can do."  
  
We stare at the girl as two round tears roll down her cheeks. I'm the first to come out of my shock, and I move in to give her a hug and comfort her. We knew she'd been traveling a lot (and that she wasn't sick like she always claimed), and that was why we didn't see her often. But we hadn't noticed the strain like we did now. What was she doing while she was gone?  
  
As I rock her back and forth in a comforting fashion, I notice she's wearing some make-up over something on her cheek. Her tears have washed some away. I rub, then gasp.  
  
"Kagome! Where did this bruise come from?"  
  
She says nothing.  
  
I continue to inspect her for damage, and notice that the scratches that she had claimed were from 'hasty shaving' didn't look like razor marks, but more like plants, or even claws in some places. Like she had been running. As I readjust the hug to continue to check her, I accidentally brush over a sore spot on her side and she winces. I lift her shirt enough to uncover a bandage that covered small, bloody gash that was still healing, and obviously fairly new. Kagome seems oblivious as I try to make sense of all this.  
  
She's been traveling with her boyfriend...We hardly see her anymore...She didn't start disappearing till just after she met him...  
  
And when we do see her, she's incredibly tired, and barely smiles anymore; when she does, it's fake. Half of nothing. Or else it's a smile of sorrow. That's what that look is – fear. Pain and fear.  
  
And now, she returns from her travels having run hard from something, and with bruises and gashes all over, and I'm confident that if we undressed her, we'd find more. And now that I think about it, she's been using her left arm quite a bit, although she's right-handed. As I test this theory by a gentle poke on her right arm, I am rewarded by a small yelp of pain.  
  
Suddenly, it makes sense to me.  
  
"He's been beating you, hasn't he?"  
  
"What...?  
  
"Your boyfriend. He's been hurting you, hasn't he?"  
  
"No, no he hasn't! He wouldn't! I'm fine, I've just been ill."  
  
"Don't lie to me, Kagome! Don't lie to us! We're your best friends, and we're here for you! Don't give us this sickness crap – we know you've been with your boyfriend. Why are you defending him? He could be put in jail for that! You don't have to stay, you can leave him!"  
  
"I don't want to leave him. He'd never hurt me. He protects me!"  
  
"From what? You're sixteen, for goodness sake! What do you need protection from?"  
  
"I.... You wouldn't understand."  
  
'Why not!?' I think angrily. It hurts that she's hiding so much. That she thinks that her closest friend since second grade wouldn't understand. My questions get vicious.  
  
"Was he 'protecting you' from Miroku?"  
  
"No! Miroku was our friend!"  
  
"Is he a gang member of some kind? Break away! Or at least tell us what's happening! Kagome, you've been gone so much, and now you have new friends and a boyfriend. You're beat up and depressed. It's like we're losing you! What happened to our good old Kagome? The Kagome who could smile?"  
  
There is a long pause. Eri and Yuka seem frozen, but I know that I speak for them too. They look on and nod a little. All eyes are on Kagome.  
  
"That Kagome.... That Kagome...." She's whispering. She looks up at me, and her eyes have changed from the eyes I know. Something's snapped deep inside her.  
  
"Kagome, what's happened?"  
  
But I saw her eyes. Now I realize... I already know what happened to that Kagome. I don't know why or how, but I know what... and her next words voice what I dare not even think.  
  
"That Kagome.... died a little while ago. And I'm going to leave you too. That's why I came today. That's why I had us make these books. I don't want to forget that Kagome, or her friends. And she doesn't want to be forgotten," she ends in a whisper.  
  
"What are you saying, Kagome?"  
  
"I have to leave. I don't have a choice."  
  
"Yes you do! You don't have to go with him!"  
  
She looks out the window suddenly, as though something were out there. I look too, but I see nothing there.  
  
"Kagome?" I ask quietly. A dead silence fills the room, so heavy that it seems to weigh down on us all, crushing us with weight of our words.  
  
Then finally... "Yes I do. I have to go, because he needs me. They need me. I know you don't understand, but...."  
  
Now I'm in tears. "Then make me understand! Tell me! Tell us! Don't leave us, Kagome. You can't do this to us. What can be so important that it could take you from us? Tell me! What could be so terrible?!?"  
  
Suddenly, Kagome flares to life.  
  
"What's so important? My friend who is dying! My friends who will die if I don't go! Who knows what has happened while I sat here idly chitchatting with you guys! Don't you dare make me feel guilty! I don't have any choice!"  
  
There's anger in her voice and even in her tear-filled eyes. It's her fire, her passion... and it's for them now. She used to get angry like that for us. Yelling for justice; justice for her friends. But now, it's for them, against us. I was right – she's leaving us. We, who used to be her best friends, are losing her to these scary people who deal with death. To a dangerous place with dangerous people, and even an monster of a boyfriend.  
  
"And when they're all dead.... when your boyfriend is dead from whoever.... Then will you come back? I see it in your eyes, Kagome. You don't have hope for whatever you're doing. You act and talk like a dead person. Get out now, involve the police."  
  
"No! We can't give up! That's not an option!"  
  
'Of course it is, dammit Kagome. Can't you see that?' I can only figure that she's involved with a gang of some sort, but we can't let that stop her. We just can't.  
  
"Are you going to tell that to Miroku? It looks like he's giving up." I can hardly believe the venom in my voice.  
  
It's a low blow, and I know it. But that's what it's come to. I expect her to yell, to get angry, and keep fighting with me. If she'll fight, at least we have Kagome, and Kagome can have sense talked into her.  
  
But she doesn't fight. She loses her nerve, falls back.... And glances out the window again. This time, I think I see something, like a flash of silver. But it was so fast, I don't know if I'm just seeing things through my tears. When did I start crying?  
  
"....I have to go...." It's a whisper, so low I almost miss it.  
  
Then suddenly, Kagome dashes out the door. She just gets up and runs out.  
  
Suddenly, Eri and Yuka exist again. They'd sat by and watched the fight with tears in their eyes. We all look at each other and silently come to a decision: follow her. I pick up her scrap-album that she left here and follow the other two out the door.  
  
After running down the driveway, we have no idea which way she went. I think back to the flash of silver, our only clue. That they don't know about. That they don't have to know about, either. I just lead the way, and they follow as we jog, listening hard for where she might be.  
  
After just two blocks, we find her. Find them. She's in his arms. At this moment, I want nothing more than to walk up to that bastard and slap him, to free Kagome, to bring her back from her world of darkness.  
  
But I look, and I stop. They're sitting on the grass under a tree. Kagome has her face buried in his chest, the material of his bright red outfit (the same one from the picture, strangely enough, although he's wearing a hat) clutched tightly in her fists. He rests his chin on top of her head and gently rocks her back and forth, eyes closed in pain. At first I think that maybe he just hit her and is apologizing. But then I understand. He's just comforting her, and he's suffering similarly.  
  
I feel a stab of pain and jealousy. That's my job. When someone cries, I'm the one who hugs them and lets them cry.  
  
I guess I just lost my job.  
  
Then they speak.  
  
"Inu... Inu-yasha, they didn't.... And Miroku, and.... And..."  
  
"Shhhh, easy Kagome. Easy..."  
  
They don't seem to notice us at all. He just keeps rocking her and she just keeps crying.  
  
After she's cried for a few minutes, she sniffles and sits up a little, sitting across his lap and resting her head on his shoulder. For his part, he closes his eyes and leans his head on hers in a form of comfort. My heart sinks.  
  
Kagome stutters what she has been trying to say.  
  
"They found my pictures of the others.... Asked about Miroku..... Kami, is there nothing we can do? Nothing?!? And Sango... poor Sango... First her brother, now Miroku... It's not fair..." She takes a deep, shuddering breath to stabilize herself. "And they didn't understand. They accused me, accused you.... I think I've hurt Ayumi the most.... They just didn't understand at all... How can I make them understand?"  
  
"I don't know, Kagome, I don't know. But we can't stay. We just can't. Not with Miroku like he is. And Sango's.... Sango isn't handling this well. And Naraku could.... could.... it could be any time now."  
  
"Why?"  
  
He, Inu-yasha, seems rather surprised by this question.  
  
"What do you mean why? Miroku...."  
  
"Why do we have to do this? Why us? What did we do to deserve this? Kami-sama, I'm just a sixteen year old girl! I'm just sixteen! I can't handle this..."  
  
Kagome is one of the strongest people I know. Or she was until this guy came along. What did he do to her? ....And can't he just reassure her already? Tell her she can handle it? She can handle anything!  
  
Yet still he doesn't. He just rocks her back and forth as she starts crying again. How my heart aches to watch this. I want to hit him again for not making her feel better.  
  
Then Kagome has come back to herself again. Calm and collected, despite the odd sniffle and the bright red puffiness around her eyes, she sits up and speaks softly, regretfully.  
  
"I guess we should go. I'll miss them. I'm sorry I couldn't make them understand. I hope they'll forgive me. Lets go."  
  
"Not yet, Kagome," he says, holding her to his chest and burying his face in her hair. "Lets sit here a few more minutes."  
  
"But Miroku's..."  
  
"Just a few minutes!" he yells, suddenly erupting with anger. "Is that so much to ask? Is it? A few damn minutes to just sit and hold you close?"  
  
Kagome just clings to him and more tears streak down her face, and he just lets out a roar of frustration as he holds her so tightly you'd think her ribs would shatter. That pushes me over the edge. Her small squeak of pain and surprise hits a nerve in me – an angry nerve. I stomp up to them.  
  
"Bastard!" I slap him.  
  
Or at least, I was going to. He's up before I see him move, and Kagome is standing too, as though he stood and put her down. So not possible. He catches my hand and holds it tight by the wrist while twisting it behind my back. His grip is like a vise, and it seems to crush the bones in my arms as I whimper in pain. Then, he.... Growls? Kagome yells from behind him.  
  
"Inu-yasha, don't! These are my friends, they're not going to hurt us or steal it!"  
  
He does something behind me (I get the feeling that he was sniffing me, but that doesn't make sense), then releases me. I snap my arm back around and hold it to my chest. Damn, that hurts. I'm surprised Kagome only has bruises.  
  
"Ayumi!" Eri and Yuka race to me, and gasp as they see my bright red arm. It hurts, but it isn't broken. Kagome comes over too.  
  
"Ayumi, I'm so sorry! Inu-yasha's just on edge right now, and..." She's sorry? And defending him? That does it.  
  
"Kagome, don't you dare defend him. I was right! Kami-sama, I'm surprised you still have your life!"  
  
"Ayumi-"  
  
But she won't stop me this time. I turn to Inu-yasha, who looks at me warily.  
  
"And you! How dare you! What kind of sick loser are you? Your girlfriend is in tears, and you can't even comfort her right! And then you yell at her and hurt her when she is ready to do what YOU wanted her to do!" His eyes go wide.  
  
"What the hell? I-"  
  
"Don't deny it, we all heard you. You hit her too, don't you? Threaten her into silence? That's why she won't tell us, isn't it? You twisted freak, if you ever hurt her again, I swear, I'll-"  
  
But suddenly I'm cut off by a hand at my throat as my back hits the tree, none too gently. However, he doesn't seem to be exerting hardly any strength – damn he's strong. And my throat agrees. However, he's not actually trying to kill me, because my air isn't cut off. Well, not completely – it's like he's pinning me to the tree by my neck. Which, on the other hand, probably isn't much better.  
  
Suddenly, he's growling at me. Who growls? And he has gorgeous amber eyes... What a weirdo. Strong weirdo. This is so not good. What is this guy?  
  
"Don't you ever call my mate a liar. She's told you the truth the whole time, and it's your own fault if you don't believe her. I protect her from everything, and I would never hurt her. I won't let anything hurt her, even you, bitch!" My eyes widen here in disbelief. Protecting her from us? But he notices my disbelief. "Do you realize how bad it hurts her to hide things from you? That you don't believe her when she does tell you the truth? That you don't accept her any more? I'm sick of it!"  
  
"Inu-yasha, stop! Osuwari!"  
  
He slams onto the ground, releasing my throat. I lean back against that tree, away from this violent thing at my feet. I stare at him for a moment as he twitches on the ground and grumbles words I'm glad I can't hear. I don't understand what just happened, or why he seems glued to the ground. Not in the least. But this isn't important. I look up at Kagome, and I nearly burst into tears again. My neck hurts, her boyfriend just threatened me before getting stuck to the floor, and she's standing there, torn between rushing over to me, reprimanding her boyfriend, and bursting into fresh tears too. Yuka and Eri seem to be in complete shock. Yuka seems to come to her senses and grabs Kagome's arm, and Eri just looks at us all in turn, a look of horror stuck on her face.  
  
Inu-yasha is starting to get up. Suddenly feeling angry again, I kick his head, then run over to Kagome and look her in the eye.  
  
"We're going to the police right now."  
  
Kagome just shakes her head.  
  
"I'm sorry guys.... It's time I told you the truth."  
  
From where he is now sitting cross-legged on the ground, rubbing his head, Inu-yasha looks up at her in shock.  
  
"Kagome, what the hell are you thinking?"  
  
"Don't worry Inu-yasha. It'll all be ok. As long as you guys swear not to tell a soul. If you even choose to believe me."  
  
We all nod, hardly believing that she'll tell us after everything. She sits down on the grass next to Inu-yasha, and we all follow suit, forming a ring around her. I don't miss that she discreetly grabs his hand for support. Then, she begins.  
  
"This is going to be hard for you guys to swallow, but here goes: over a year ago, I met Inu-yasha after being pulled through the well on our shrine by a giant demon." She notices our raised eyebrows. "Yes, a giant demon. And yes, demons do exist. I accidentally shattered a jewel of great power, and now we have to find all the pieces. But Naraku, an evil hanyou, is out to kill us and take the jewel. All the bruises you see are from fighting with him and his puppets. Inu-yasha protects me. I have other friends... but one's dying now... Miroku... and...and...."  
  
She can't seem to go on. We just stare at her for a moment. I move in to hug her, worried though I am for her sanity, but he beats me to it as he pulls her into his lap again. I glare. He looks back, angry, but not quite glaring either.  
  
"You made her tell that story, didn't you?"  
  
Wait, I think, that doesn't add up. Why would he be angry?  
  
"No, wench! Don't you get it yet? She was protecting you! And now she's given you the truth, all of it."  
  
"You expect us to believe that an evil hanyou is trying to kill her?" Eri states shrewdly, picking up the argument at last.  
  
"And that, while she is incredibly bruised and beaten, you're unscathed?" Yuka follows Eri's example.  
  
"Argh, stupid, I'm a hanyou too!" he yells, tearing the hat off his head to reveal two surprisingly cute, pointed puppy ears. Suddenly, swallowing has become incredibly difficult for me.  
  
Kagome hides her face in Inu-yasha's chest, unable to deal with this – with us – and her reality. Something about those ears twitching in the sunlight makes everything seem... real. Everything.  
  
And suddenly... I know I've lost. We've lost. Even though we still don't understand everything. And... she's hiding from us, with him. And he's protecting her. I can't fight this anymore.... She's left us. She doesn't belong here anymore. The part of her that's Kagome, our friend of old, is gone. She's broken. And part of it is our fault, for not knowing, not realizing it for so long. Kagome belongs to him now. And there's nothing we can do.  
  
But Eri can't accept that yet.  
  
"No way... I don't believe you! I-"  
  
But I cut her off with my hand.  
  
"I.... Kagome, I understand." Her head whips around and her eyes lock with mine, searching me. Again the tears come to my eyes – why won't they stop? – and then she gets up and hugs me. I hold tight, realizing I'll probably never see her again. Eri and Yuka pile in too, and everyone holds tight. This is our last hurrah, I guess. The last hardship we'll experience together. And it's ending. I squeeze tighter.  
  
Finally, the giant hug breaks. I meet Kagome's eyes.  
  
"Kagome-chan, I still don't understand what happened, and I probably never will." Her face falls at this. "However, I do understand what you meant earlier. You don't belong here anymore... you have new friends who need you more than we do. Take good care of them. And we'll always be here if you need us, ok?"  
  
Kagome just nods, unable to speak. Inu-yasha seems to have come back to what I assume is his usual self. He's acting arrogant, at any rate. Kagome always used to complain about that. Remembering that brings a smile to my face, and a little joy to my heart.  
  
"Keh. A bunch of cry-babies you lot are. Lets get out of here Kagome." Yup, he is arrogant. But it makes Kagome smile when he says that. A real smile, I can't help but notice. It's not that half of nothing she keeps showing us, it's a real, beautiful smile, even if her eyes are red and puffy and her nose is running. Her smile is real, her little bit of joy is real. And it's with him. It makes me jealous, but happy at the same time.  
  
Kagome nods again, and he scoops her up bridal style. Then, he gives us one last glance, then turns to leave.  
  
"Wait just a second!" yells Eri. We look at her, fearing more conflict.  
  
Turns out, we shouldn't have worried. She runs back a ways and picks up the scrap-album that I dropped earlier. Then she runs back up to where they're waiting and delivers it to Kagome. They both grin and laugh a little before getting in one last hug. Then, Inu-yasha simply leaps into the air. 20 feet into the air. Apparently, this is his common form of transportation, and it doesn't seem difficult for him. As a matter of fact, he seems very graceful and powerful, despite his funny red costume.  
  
Of course, I'm not normally so calm about these things. If I hadn't seen the ears, I wouldn't have believed it. But I did, and somehow it seems right as we stand and watch them leave. Then Yuka breaks our silence.  
  
"You take good care of her! If she's not completely safe, you'll be sorry!" she yells loudly, ensuring being heard.  
  
In spite of myself, I laugh. Eri and I join in as he suddenly leaves the ground again, leaping high in the air and seeming to fly away by running across treetops.  
  
"If I ever hear of you two timing her again, you'll regret it!"  
  
"Make sure you visit! I want to see her again once your business is all finished! She better be ok!"  
  
"Goodbye, Kagome-chan, we'll miss you!"  
  
We continue to yell and wave frantically long after they're gone. And we're all smiling. Somehow, we know that this was a good thing. Kagome came back to us for a moment, and she's going away to become herself again. Whether or not we'll see her again doesn't matter anymore – she'll be ok. And she's in good hands; Inu-yasha's.  
  
Goodbye Kagome. If you survive your quest, please come back to us. The mall will still be here, waiting for us to tear it up. Life will go on here, and we'll be as silly and shallow as ever. But then, everybody needs that now and then. So remember, when you need it, everyone will still be here. We'll still be here.  
  
Which reminds me – we'll need to come up with a good excuse for her. It doesn't look like she'll be back to school for a while. What kind of friends would we be to let her down? 


End file.
